


Firefly Season.

by haechland



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Donghyuck lives in the forest, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Growing Up, Kissing, M/M, Mark lives in a little village, but also not really, like?? kind of a magical au?, lots and lots of fluff, mentions of a parent dying, they love each other a lot, tiniest bit of angst??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:47:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24028363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haechland/pseuds/haechland
Summary: Donghyuck's the boy from the forest with the red rain boots and the yellow gingham umbrella and maybe, just maybe, Mark falls in love with him just a little bit.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 5
Kudos: 72





	Firefly Season.

Mark knows the little boy with the yellow gingham umbrella and the sleepy eyes. He’s the same boy with the muddy red rain boots and the rosy cheeks. He’s the same boy who always waves at Mark from where he’s perched on the tree stump on the outskirts of the forest. Mark’s not allowed in the forest though, his mum says so, and that appears to be where the boy lives.

Mark hears chimes coming from the forest sometimes, a gentle melody, almost too quiet to be heard. When Mark can’t sleep, he quietly pushes his window open and listens to the tune. He’d try to listen for as long as possible, but his eyes would quickly start drooping shut and he'd find himself waking up in the morning to a cold bedroom.

Mark has always wanted to invite the boy to come and play, but his friends said he was weird, so Mark stayed quiet. Mark didn’t think he was weird. Mark wanted to play with him, maybe string some white lilies together and weave them into his hair, or maybe they could listen to the chimes together. 

It’s raining tonight, and Mark can’t sleep. The forest is silent but Mark still finds himself opening his window and gazing over towards the endless trees. They seem endless to him, anyway. A flicker of light catches his eye. He squints, following the dancing lights, noticing as more and more start glowing. His mouth drops open in awe as the forest lights up. Mark thinks about the boy with the yellow umbrella.

The next day, Mark sees the boy by his usual stump, hiding something behind his back. His eyes light up when he spots Mark, beckoning him over with his hand, a small smile gracing his lips. Mark pads over to him, his feet pattering along the wooden pathway. The sleepy boy grinned, he had a bright smile. “It’s firefly season. I saw you watching from your window last night.” he says “I caught you some of the lightning bugs.” he hands Mark a jar with four little bugs crawling around inside. Mark’s eyes widen as he takes it from the smaller boy’s hands. “They’re not very interesting right now, but when it gets dark, you’ll see.” he smiles, hiding his fingers in the sleeves of his cotton blouse. “And they don’t live for very long,.. So enjoy them while they last.” Mark nods enthusiastically, eyes not leaving his gift. “I’m Mark.” he says, looking up at his new friend. “I’m Donghyuck.”

Mark starts joining Donghyuck on his stump everyday, and this continues on for many years. They’re teenagers now, and certainly don’t fit on the chunk of wood properly anymore, but they make it work. The other kids in the village didn’t talk to Mark anymore, but he didn’t mind. He had Donghyuck and that was enough.

Mark’s parents had taken Donghyuck in instantly, especially after they found out he lived in the forest. “I don’t know why they worry so much about me.” he had said one night, “The forest is lovely. If you treat it well, it’ll treat you with just as much kindness.” Mark didn’t know what he meant by that, but he nodded, trusting Donghyuck’s opinion on his own home more than his parents’.

They spent a majority of their teenage years by the river on the other side of the village. Donghyuck had developed a nasty habit of taking what wasn’t his, so he’d often show up with two bread rolls from the bakers and some jam from the old woman who lived near Mark’s dad’s tailoring shop. He would always return the jar though, and the baker would often find some fresh honeycomb on his doorstep. 

Mark had developed a nasty habit too. Staring. Mostly staring at Donghyuck. Staring at his face, staring at his hands, staring at his legs, just staring. Donghyuck noticed, of course, and a gorgeous red blush would crawl up his neck and to his cheeks every single time. The younger boy’s rosy cheeks reminded Mark of Donghyuck’s old red rain boots that he had long grown out of, but had told Mark that they still remained on his doorstep, a small paper windmill calling them its home.

Donghyuck often slept over at Mark’s house. Mark’s bedroom wasn’t big, and neither was his bed, but the two of them always found a way to squeeze in together. They’d spend their days drinking green tea, Donghyuck’s always sickly sweet with honey, or reading the books that Ma from the city would bring them every time she visited. Mark had never asked to visit Donghyuck’s home, and Donghyuck had never invited him. Mark knew it was very important to Donghyuck, the forest was very important to Donghyuck, but Mark knew that when Donghyuck was ready, he would ask.

They’re young adults now, and Mark is painfully aware that he loves Donghyuck. He isn’t sure when it started, maybe during the days by the river, when Donghyuck already had a knack for stealing thing (maybe one of the things was Mark’s heart), maybe it was during the times they shared cramped up on the tree stump, or maybe even when Mark only knew Donghyuck as the boy with the yellow gingham umbrella.

Donghyuck comes running to Mark’s house one day, tears staining his face, harsh red tracks carving into his cheeks. Mark doesn’t ask what’s wrong. He simply holds the vulnerable boy in his arms. Donghyuck later tells him that his mother had passed away during the night and the forest had taken her to rest. Mark held him tightly as he cried. “I’ve got you.” Mark whispered back. Donghyuck knew.

It was not long after that that Donghyuck told Mark to follow him without telling him where they were going. Mark trailed behind Donghyuck, gently holding onto the younger boy’s pinky finger as he led him down the wooden path, past the tree stump and through into the endless trees. Mark had to hide a smile, lowering his head as he realised where Donghyuck was taking him. They wove their way through the trees, a naturally (yet perfectly) constructed pathway guiding them through the forest. Mark didn’t even think of letting Donghyuck’s finger go, actually adjusting his grip so he could hold his hand properly.

They arrived at a small clearing, a small cottage with a yellow door coming into view. Mark couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. It was beautiful. The cottage itself was lit up by small orbs of light, Mark wasn’t entirely sure what they were, and vines hung down from the roof. Fruits, vegetables and herbs of all kinds grew in clusters on the edges of the clearing and each of them had their own paper windmill. A bee house stood proud and tall in a fenced off area next to the cottage, a few flowers growing next to it. And beside the door sat the red rain boots and the yellow gingham umbrella.

The inside of the house was beautiful too, all warm and homey. Everything was brown and cosy, a few handmade wool and cotton blankets draped over the sofa. Donghyuck lit the fire and a few candles to light the place up. He had been silent since they left the village. Mark admired the small house, feeling the love and care seeping out from each object inside. Donghyuck turned to look at him, his eyes wide and glossy. He looked nervous. “Come here.” Mark whispered, opening his arms, welcoming Donghyuck into a hug. The younger boy’s bottom lip trembled as he rushed into Mark’s embrace. “Your home is beautiful, Donghyuck.” he said into the crying boy’s hair “Thank you for bringing me to see it.”

Donghyuck made them both tea, wrapping up together under a blanket. “Thank you.” Donghyuck whispered. “Why are you thanking me?” Mark’s voice was quiet and his breath was warm against Donghyuck’s skin. “For everything.” Mark nuzzled closer to his best friend, breathing him in.

Mark visited Donghyuck’s home regularly after that, often helping him care for his plants and helping him cook and craft and sew. Mark understood what Donghyuck meant when he said the forest would treat you with kindness, as Mark often felt a gentle breeze tickle his cheeks after leaving some greens for the bugs or after watering the wild flowers. The first time Mark slept at Donghyuck’s house, he heard them again. “The chimes.” he whispered in wonder, raising his head to hear them better. “You can hear them from the village?” Donghyuck asked, obviously surprised. Mark smiled, “Not very well, they’re very quiet and you have to listen very hard. I haven’t heard them since I was little though.” he said. Donghyuck chucked, pulling Mark’s head back down to the pillow so their faces were next to each other. “I haven’t heard them in a long time, too.” he whispered. “They mean that the forest is very happy.”

It’s early summer, and Mark wakes up to find the other side of his bed empty. This was uncommon, considering the fact that if Mark wasn’t at Donghyuck’s, Donghyuck was at Mark’s. He got dressed quickly, getting ready to go to the forest to find the other boy. He left his house quietly, not wanting to make too much of a ruckus, only to spot Donghyuck standing by the tree stump, fidgeting. Mark makes his way toward him with a smile, noticing Donghyuck was holding something behind his back. “It’s firefly season.” he says as Mark gets closer. Mark’s mouth falls open, stopping dead in his tracks. “They don’t live for very long,.. So enjoy them while they last.” he continued, holding out the same jar he had given Mark all those years ago, his cheeks bright red and his eyes not leaving the floor. Mark took the jar from his hands gently, placing it on the stump. Donghyuck looked up, hurt flashing in his eyes for just a moment before Mark gently cupped his face in his hands. “I hope you know how painfully hard it is for me not to kiss you right now.” Mark breathes out, his words falling against Donghyuck’s skin. Mark feels his breath hitch under his palms, a small smile dancing on the younger’s lips. “Then why don’t you?” Donghyuck whispers back.

Mark stares in shock for a second, but he quickly finds himself fighting off a grin. He leans in, watching Donghyuck’s eyes flutter shut prettily. He closes his own eyes too, carefully slotting their lips together. A feeling of warmth fills him from the top of his head all the way down to his toes, comfort washing over him. The kiss ends quickly, a short press of the lips, but Donghyuck leans in again, pushing against Mark’s mouth. Donghyuck’s lips are impossibly soft and warm. They feel like home. Donghyuck licks against Mark’s bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth. Mark hums, kissing back with just as much love and passion.

They separate after what felt like both a second and an hour, small smiles on both their faces. “You know I’m insanely in love with you, right?” Mark says, still very close to Donghyuck’s face. His cheeks heat up even more as he hits Mark’s chest, hiding in his neck. Mark chuckles, pulling Donghyuck flush against him. “I’m insanely in love with you too, silly.” Donghyuck mumbles into the older boy’s skin. Mark grins. “What was that?” He hears Donghyuck groan as he pulls away from his neck, staring directly into Mark’s eyes. “I said, I love you too.” he repeats. Mark brings his hands back up to Donghyuck’s face, running his thumbs over Donghyuck’s cheekbones.

“Kiss me again.” Donghyuck breathes out, absentmindedly leaning back toward Mark. Mark captures his lips into another kiss, licking into his mouth, soft and gentle.

Yeah, they were insanely in love.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! i sort of wrote this in one sitting but i'm happy with it:) the sort of vibe i was going for was the acnl soundtrack for 1am rain,, so if you're interested you can look up what that sounds like..
> 
> anyway!! thankyou for taking the time to read this, it means the world <3


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